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The Timurids (Timur) (LastSword)
The Timurids led by Timur is a custom civilisation by LastSwordLS Civilization Set, with contributions from hokath. This mod requires Gods and Kings & Brave New World. It replaces the City-State of Samarkand with Basel-Stadt. Overview The Timurids The origin of the Timurid dynasty goes back to the Mongol tribe known as Barlas, who were remnants of the original Mongol army of Genghis Khan. After the Mongol conquest of Central Asia, the Barlas settled in what is today southern Kazakhstan, from Shymkent to Taraz and Almaty, which then came to be known for a time as Moghulistan – "Land of Mongols" in Persian – and intermingled to a considerable degree with the local Turkic and Turkic-speaking population, so that at the time of Timur's reign the Barlas had become thoroughly Turkicized in terms of language and habits. Additionally, by adopting Islam, the Central Asian Turks and Mongols adopted the Persian literary and high culture which had dominated Central Asia since the early days of Islamic influence. Persian literature was instrumental in the assimilation of the Timurid elite to the Perso-Islamic courtly culture. Timur Timur was born in 1336, near the city of Kesh (now called Shahrisabz), about 50 miles south of the oasis of Samarkand, in Transoxiana. The child's father, Taragay, was the chief of the Barlas tribe. The Barlas were of mixed Mongolian and Turkic ancestry, descended from the hordes of Genghis Khan and the earlier inhabitants of Transoxiana. Unlike their nomadic ancestors, the Barlas were settled agriculturalists and traders. The European versions of Timur's name - "Tamerlane" or "Tamberlane" - are based on the Turkic nickname Timur-i-leng, meaning "Timur the Lame." Timur's body was exhumed by a Russian team lead by archaeologist Mikhail Gerasimov in 1941, and they found evidence of two healed wounds on Timur's right leg. His right hand was also missing two fingers. During Timur's youth, Transoxiana was riven by conflict between the local nomadic clans and the sedentary Chagatay Mongol khans who ruled them. The Chagatay had abandoned the mobile ways of Genghis Khan and their other ancestors, and taxed the people heavily in order to support their urban lifestyle. Naturally, this taxation angered their citizens. In 1347, a local amir named Kazgan seized power from the Chagatay ruler Borolday. Kazgan would rule until his assassination in 1358. After Kazgan's death, various warlords and religious leaders vied for power. Tughluk Timur, a Mongol warlord, emerged victorious in 1360. Timur's uncle Hajji Beg led the Barlas at this time, but refused to submit to Tughluk Timur. The Hajji fled, and the new Mongol ruler decided to install the seemingly more pliable young Timur to rule in his stead. In fact, Timur was already plotting against the Mongols. He formed an alliance with the grandson of Kazgan, Amir Hussein, and married Hussein's sister Aljai Turkanaga. The Mongols soon caught on; Timur and Hussein were dethroned and forced to turn to banditry in order to survive. Timur's bravery and tactical skill made him a successful mercenary soldier in Persia, and he soon collected a large following. In 1364, Timur and Hussein banded together again and defeated Ilyas Khoja, the son of Tughluk Timur. By 1366, the two warlords controlled Transoxiana. Timur's wife died in 1370, freeing him to attack his erstwhile ally Hussein. Hussein was besieged and killed at Balkh, and Timur declared himself the sovereign of the whole region. Timur was not directly descended from Genghis Khan on his father's side, so he ruled as an amir, rather than as khan. Over the next decade, Timur seized the rest of Central Asia, as well. With Central Asia in hand, Timur invaded Russia in 1380. He helped the Mongol Khan Toktamysh retake control, and also defeated the Lithuanians in battle. Timur captured Herat (now in Afghanistan) in 1383, the opening salvo against Persia. By 1385, all of Persia was his. With invasions in 1391 and 1395, Timur fought against his former protege in Russia, Toktamysh. The Timurid army captured Moscow in 1395. While Timur was busy in the north, Persia revolted. He responded by leveling entire cities, and using the citizens' skulls to build grisly towers and pyramids. By 1396, Timur had conquered Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Mesopotamia and Georgia. Timur's army of 90,000 crossed the Indus River in September, 1398 and set upon India. The country had fallen to pieces after the death of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351 - 1388) of the Delhi Sultanate, and by this time Bengal, Kashmir and the Deccan each had separate rulers. The Turkic/Mongol invaders left carnage along their path; Delhi's army was destroyed in December, and the city ruined. Timur seized tons of treasure and 90 war elephants, and took them back to Samarkand. Timur looked west in 1399, retaking Azerbaijan and conquering Syria. Baghdad was destroyed in 1401, and 20,000 of its people slaughtered. In July of 1402, Timur captured early Ottoman Turkey and received submission from Egypt. The rulers of Europe were glad that the Ottoman Turk sultan Bayazid had been defeated, but they trembled at the idea that "Tamerlane" was at their doorstep. The rulers of Spain, France, and other powers sent congratulatory embassies to Timur, hoping to stave off an attack. Timur had bigger goals, though. He decided in 1404 that he would conquer Ming China. (The ethnic-Han Ming Dynasty had overthrown his cousins, the Yuan, in 1368.) Unfortunately for him, however, the Timurid army set out in December, during an unusually cold winter. Men and horses died of exposure, and the 68-year-old Timur fell ill. He died in February, 1405 at Otrar, in Kazakhstan. Dawn of Man Great Timur, Tarmashirin Khan, Emir Timur, called Tamerlane by unfaithful, we are in awe of your mayesty and conquests! We are in no doubt that we kneel before the one of the greatest, if not the greatest, leader in human history. You were a military genius, with an uncanny ability to work within a highly fluid political structure, to win and maintain the loyalty of your troops. Taking advantage of your Turco-Mongolian heritage, you frequently used the Islamic religion, as well as the law and traditions of the Mongol Empire, to achieve military or political aims. Your military campaigns and succesess, planned years in advance, won the countless victories and conquests that let you proudly stand next to Ceasar and Alexander the Great. The discovery of propaganda alone grants you a place in the Pantheon of Great Generals. Shocked by your military talents, we almost forget about your scientific patronage! We dishonour the great Timurid architecture and impact you made on Islam religion. Your less talented successors, which is not a dishonour for any man, could not mantain the greatness of your empire. Great Timur, the world is yours once again. Your enemies are already overwhelmed by fear. Your people will follow you, even to the end of the Earth. Can you take the victories of the past and win the victories of the future? Can you forgive us for even asking that all important question... Can you build a civilization that will stand the test of time? Introduction: "Greetings, I am Timur. Don't be afraid! We have only just met, I couldn't possibly have a military campaign planned against you and your people for years... or could I?" Introduction: "They call me Timur, Pious and Glorious King. Believe what you will... but know that my power is real." Defeat: "All part of the plan." Defeat: "This game is not worthy my greatness. I'm off to play Beyond Earth." Strategy Unique Attributes Music Mod Support Full Credits List * hokath: Text. * LastSword: All else. Notes and References Category:All Civilizations Category:LastSword Category:Steppe Cultures